He opened his eyes, but quickly shut them again. Too--much--light! He groaned. "How are you feeling?" Jack asked. "My...head..." "I'm not surprised, you've been in and out of it for about two weeks now. You've given us a few scares. But you're going to pull through." He took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes again. He had to squint, but he managed to keep them open this time. He took in the scenery--he was inside the "medical" tent, on the cot. Jack was sitting in a chair at his bedside. "I...I made it?" Jack nodded. "Yeah. The internal injuries are healing, though I suggest you not move too much for the moment." "Can I sit up?" "By all means." He raised himself up on his elbows, grimacing with each move. Everything ached. "I'm actually going to be okay?" "With some therapy, yes. Locke's built you a crutch, and I'll be working with you--actually, me and a girl named Rachel who's a physical therapist. She'll know what to do better than I will." He nodded. "Anything else I should know?" Jack thought for a moment. "No, not really, except maybe that Claire had the baby. It's a boy. Colton Boone Pace." "Pace?" "Apparently she and Charlie--" Jack waved his hand around in the air. "I don't know. Kate could explain it better. But I guess they tied the knot as well as they could out here. They had a little ceremony and all." He laid back down on the cot. "Wait. Did you say Colton Boone?" "Yes, I did." "They named the baby after me?"

~*~Just over two weeks earlier...~*~

Jack stood for a moment, steeling his nerves. Never in all his years as a doctor had he had to make such a pivotal, life-changing decision, nor had he been forced to carry through with such a gruesome procedure. He closed his eyes and was about to slam down the door, the knife-sharp edge that would sever the bottom half of Boone's leg. He wondered trivially what was done with such parts in a surgical room, and more importantly, what he would have to do with this one. It wouldn't be an issue for a few minutes--he would, after all, have to take care of the new wound--but he already dreaded the moment of having to come back and clean up after himself. At last he screwed up his courage and made a firm grasp on the handle. "Wait," Boone gasped out. "Wait..." Jack looked down. "I have to. If I don't--" Boone, pulling together every last ounce of strength to utter each word, reminded him, "I'm messed up inside. You know it." "This is our best chance," Jack said, trying to convince Boone that he was doing the right thing. "There is no chance. Really." Boone looked around at the starlit sky and the palm trees waving in the breeze. Beautiful, but fraught with danger. "I mean...look where we are." Jack glanced around as well. Admittedly, the island was not exactly conducive to sterile conditions--but he had to try. There was an unshakable resolve within him. "I'm not going to let you give up," he said. Boone shook his head. "I know you made a promise. I'm letting you off the hook. Let me go, Jack." Boone didn't want to die, but this was a horrible way to live. Best case scenario had him missing a leg, if nothing else, and who knew what other complications might haunt him? Jack felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes. "I'm sorry." He took a long, deep breath. Boone sucked in another gasp of air. He was about to say "Don't be." It wasn't Jack's fault. If anyone was to blame, it was Boone himself. If only he had listened to Locke when he'd said to get out of the plane. But Boone knew full well that it had been an accident--a terrible, life-shattering accident. But then Jack spoke again. "I'm sorry...I just can't do that. I refuse to live my life knowing that I might have saved you." He shoved the blade down.

~*~Back to the present...~*~

Boone let out a sound something between a laugh and a sob. "Did they think I was going to die?" "Everyone did for a while, but Claire decided that either way it was a fitting tribute." "Wow." Boone laid quietly for a few moments, thinking. Suddenly he remembered. "Crutch...so then..." "Yes, your right leg is gone below the knee. I'm sorry." Boone shook his head. "Jack! No! Don't be sorry! Do you realize what you've done? You've managed to save my life out here in the middle of nowhere! You pulled me back from--from--from certain death. Oh, God, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am." "No need, Boone. I have to admit I wasn't even sure I could do it. I just had to try." Boone nodded. "Thanks." He stretched out his hand and clasped it with Jack's. He smiled. "Um, Jack--about the leg..." Jack leaned forward and yanked away the blanket covering Boone's body. Boone looked down, horrified and yet fascinated by the stump of flesh below his knee. "Wow." He shook his head and sat up, dangling his good leg over the edge of the bed, placing a hand on his knee, then moving down, feeling the end where Jack had--more than likely--cauterized the wound. He let a tear slide down, wondering about walking with a crutch and phantom pains and how he would deal with it all. He decided one thing then and there--he would not, under any circumstances, allow himself to use the wheelchair from the plane. Locke's old wheelchair. "I want you to stay in bed for a week or so more before you try to walk. You need to eat food, not just liquids, get your strength back," Jack said. "Don't worry, Boone, you're back from the brink of death, a little thing like a missing leg shouldn't get in your way. And, just so you know, I was talking with Michael about the possibility of rigging up some sort of prosthetic, and he thinks we may be able to figure something out. Obviously it won't be pretty, but it would free you from the crutch." Boone nodded. "But we don't have to worry about that right this minute, right?" he asked. "Right. Why? Was there something else you wanted?" "Not something. Someone. Where's Shannon? Can I see Shannon?" Jack smiled. "I'll go find her, send her in." Boone sat alone for a few moments after Jack left, in contemplative silence, going over all the crazy things that had happened. He was truly blessed to still be there. When Shannon finally walked in her eyes were shimmering with tears. "Jack said--" She looked down at Boone's legs. "Oh, God!" She covered her face, looking away for a second. Then, suddenly, she was kneeling next to the cot, her arms around him. She was sobbing. "I'm so glad you're alive, Boone. I'm so sorry I wasn't here." She pulled back to look at him. "I was out on a stupid hike with Sayid. If I'd known--" Boone put his finger on her lips to shush her. "It's all right. I'm all right." Shannon nodded, wiping at her eyes. "We're so lucky. Except--your leg--" She choked back another sob. Boone nodded, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'll live. That's what counts."